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Missile Defense

Russian military leaders have expressed concern about US plans for a national missile defense system. Will defense technology be limited by possibilities for a strategic imbalance? Is this just SDI all over again?

lunarchick - 03:06pm Mar 28, 2001 EST (#1619 of 1631)
lunarchick@www.com

http://argument.independent.co.uk/leading_articles/story.jsp?story=61828

21 March 2001

For poor old Dubya, life keeps getting harder. All those problems with Korea, missile defence and carbon dioxide emissions. And now he's in the White House, they won't let him use e-mail either.

The deprivation is not a small one. In old-fashioned spoken word, the 43rd President of the United States may be a bit of a duffer. But, it seems, put the fellow in front of a computer screen, and the words simply pour forth, fired off in pithy little messages all over the place.

But, say his advisers, no more. The risk is not so much hackers, but that even old friends cannot be trusted to keep their mouths shut. A few clicks of the button and the unguarded Presidential thought is in the cyberspace inboxes of half the world.

In truth, Dubya should be thankful. He at least escapes that dreadful law of human communication, whereby the number of messages increases to fill the means available to send them. True, he may have to put pen to paper now; but unlike the rest of us, he will not vanish in a Sargasso Sea of e-mail.

And anyway, since when did a President write his own letters?

lunarchick - 03:32pm Mar 28, 2001 EST (#1620 of 1631)
lunarchick@www.com

Strategy Motokazu Orihata may be "Mr Strategy" the top international strategist, who writes in this Journal + Clinton advisor - Motokazu has a great mind.

almarst-2001 - 03:35pm Mar 28, 2001 EST (#1621 of 1631)

One of the most importand issues for Europe, outside Britain, is energy supply.

The most importand energy resources outside Russia are effectively in hands of US-British companies. For independent Europe it is paramaunt to ensure at leat one more source of energy. The Atomic reactors, particularelly after Chernobol, coupled with a problem of nuclear waste, proved to be extreamly unpopular and effectively blocked from future development. That, in my view, was a primary reason the French and Germany tried to build a "special relations" with Iraq - the major independed oil suplier in the Gulf. In fact, that may be the real reason, the US and Britain are so interested in sunctions and isolation of Iraq.

That leaves Russia as another major possible source. This is particularelly importand for Germany, almost completely dependent on oil and gas (the French provides in very large part of it needs using the Nuclear Power). Additionally, the geography makes the Russia and Eastern Europe the most "natural" markets for German's expansion. It has become clear to Russia as well. It may be no incident, the Putin was selected at least in part, due to his extensive background in Germany.

What we may witness is a "great battle" for the Europe future and its relation with today's Anglo-American dominant.

rshowalter - 03:41pm Mar 28, 2001 EST (#1622 of 1631)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

It may not have to be a "great battle" -- maybe a "good negotiation" -- in the interest of many parties. A big question is "who can talk to whom - coordinate with whom? "

This thread moves fast. I made a posting, and deleted it, so that I can respond to the good questions here.

rshowalter - 03:42pm Mar 28, 2001 EST (#1623 of 1631)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Don't assume that the American PEOPLE want to fight -- they want to live and let live -- I can understand how that may be hard to believe -- but the barriers to peace may not be very great.

almarst-2001 - 03:48pm Mar 28, 2001 EST (#1624 of 1631)

rshowalter 3/28/01 3:41pm

Hopefully so. It seems to me, the Russia has no reasons to be an enemy of US. Unless the US will try to isolate and diminish the Russia in order to preserve its domination of Europe.

almarst-2001 - 03:53pm Mar 28, 2001 EST (#1625 of 1631)

rshowalter 3/28/01 3:42pm

I don't think ANY nation loves to fight. Unfortunatly, the foreign policy desisions are far from transparent, even in US. And there are very significant behind-the-scene forces, including military-industrial complex and enery companies who may not neceserelly reflect the desire of general population. And they have enough power over the cash-starved politicians and the media to influence the population.

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